Danny Hurley's name mentioned as coaching candidate at Rutgers

Thursday

Apr 4, 2013 at 8:42 AM

Rutgers University is currently in the market for a new head hoops coach after the highly publicized firing of Mike Rice, and the New Jersey/New York press has its nearly unanimous pick: URI's Dan Hurley.

Kevin McNamara Journal Sports Writer kevinmcnamara33

Providence Journal photo / Bob Breidenbach

Rutgers University is currently in the market for a new head hoops coach after the highly publicized firing of Mike Rice, and the New Jersey/New York press has its nearly unanimous pick: URI's Dan Hurley.

Hurley cultivated a great relationship with sports columnists in the area when he was a high-school star in Jersey City and a prep-school coach in Newark.

Here are just some of the headlines calling for Hurley to return home and save the State University of Jersey:

The New York Post has a headline that reads "Dan The Man."

The Newark Star-Ledger's Steve Politi calls Rutgers "the worst coaching job in America" and then offers that "Danny Hurley is the best shot to save Rutgers now, if that is even possible."

The Philadelphia Inquirer also follows the Hurley trail.

Hurley just completed the first year of a six-year deal that pays him roughly $650,000 a year. Rutgers has never paid its hoop coach more than $1 million, perhaps one reason why the program hasn't been to the NCAA Tournament in more than 20 years. With Rutgers headed for the Big Ten in 2014, now could be the time to pay up. For Hurley, or someone else.

Hurley, who has not bought a home in Rhode Island, knows how tough the Rutgers job is. Going into the Big Ten, the job will only get tougher. He may be a true Jersey Guy but he does not take kindly to losing, and Rutgers is set up only for losses for the next few seasons.